A Scorching Darkness
by JadedNightmares
Summary: Domino city is split in half between those who have superpowers, and those who don't. The two sides are at war, both thinking that the other is an abomination that should be killed. After an incident that happened during his childhood, Malik swears he will do whatever it takes to kill every single power-holder there is. Will a certain event change his mind? Thiefshipping!
1. The Only Hope

**Hello there, and welcome to A Scorching Darkness!**

**I'm really excited about writing this fic, I've got everything planned out and I think it'll be quite a long chapter fic. I really hope you guys enjoy it!**

**All chapters are written in Malik's POV unless stated otherwise.**

**Rated T for language and some suggestive themes. **

**Disclaimer: I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh! or its characters!**

* * *

They are the enemy, we are the heroes. Our job is to exterminate the filth from our earth, killing them off one by one until we can live without fear of the vile, deformed mutants from ruining our perfect world.

That was how simple my life used to be. I followed these rules – or 'The Guidelines to the Perfect Existence,' as they were often referred to – for the first ten years of my life. Things were easy enough to remember – if you had superpowers, you were accepted into our society, if you did not, you lived on the other side of town. I wasn't sure why we lived by these rules, but I followed them regardless – I was only ten, after all, I didn't know any better. I had no reason to question the rules anyway, I had a nice life with my family and I was looking forward to my future.

But of course things were never that easy. Something had to come along and smash my perfect life to pieces. The people I thought I could trust turned their backs on me, blaming me for something I had no control over. I was thrown out of my utopia, and into the slums of the other side. I was left completely alone. I was afraid, scared, and helpless, but no one questioned if what they were doing was right – they never did. They did what they were told, like mindless robots that followed the every command of their master – never doing, feeling, or thinking for themselves.

My harsh wake up call to reality may have been cruel, but I've grown to see it as more of a blessing than a hindrance. It's made me realise that things are never what they seem. If I wasn't granted with this revelation, I would be just as bad as them, and that thought repulses me to my very core.

The day they banished me was the day they made the biggest mistake of their lives and I was going to make damn sure they knew it.

* * *

**A Scorching Darkness**

**Chapter 1**

**The Only Hope**

* * *

I run my fingers across the cool, black metal of my trusty handgun – the only thing I can really rely on in this godforsaken place. I enter the room I spend most of my time in, my shoulders squared, composed, and ready for action.

I take my place like I have done so many times before – directly in the middle of the red circle, in the centre of the room. You could call it cliché, but that's the way my boss works. He says every detail counts, symbolising something different – the centre to remind us we're under his command, the red for the blood we're training to spill, the circle for the vicious cycle we go through every day.

I grasp the handle of my gun tightly, and move into position, relaxing my mind and focusing on the surroundings. I calm my body down, becoming one with the atmosphere. My eyes slide shut, heightening my other senses. I listen to every movement, taking in every noise from the creak of the rusty pipes, to the click of the keyboard in the control room above me.

I wet my lips in anticipation. I have to fight to keep my heart beat steady. Knowing each day I'm one step closer to ridding the world of evil, one bullet at a time, makes it worth coming to this shithole every day.

My fingers snake their way up to the trigger, and almost instantaneously I hear the lights go out. They're trying to make it difficult for me, I can tell. Not that it matters, I would have kept my eyes shut anyway.

The machines start to vibrate, and I hear movement. The targets are being brought in. It's only a matter of seconds before the real fun begins. I take a deep breath.

Inhale.

The targets have landed in their starting position.

Exhale.

I flex my fingers.

Inhale.

The machines begin to hum.

Exhale.

I rearrange my footing, focusing on nothing but the sounds around me.

Inhale.

I hear the targets move.

Exhale.

It's time.

I begin to shoot, bullet after bullet firing from my gun as I twist and turn to meet the targets. With each pull of the trigger, a new burst of adrenaline pumps through my veins, making every hit all the more invigorating. I always feel alive when I'm doing this. It's what I was born to do, and it sure as hell makes this God-awful job a lot more exciting.

I fire my last bullet, and can't help feeling a little disappointed that it's over, but I give a satisfied smirk when I hear it pierce the target nonetheless.

The humming stops, and the lights come on; I open my eyes and examine my work.

Ten targets shaped like humans with identical bullet holes through the head. My smirk grows, stretching across my face as I regard them. I'm damn good with a gun, if I do say so myself.

With a last glance around the room, I tuck my gun back into its holster, keeping it securely by my side as I head back to my office. I turn on my heel and stride out of the door. Unsurprisingly, my boss is waiting for me.

"Ishtar!" he calls, and I have to stop myself from groaning – talking to this guy really pisses me off.

"Yes, Kaiba?" I say, turning around to meet those emotionless icy blue eyes. Seto Kaiba – the leader of our kind, one of the most feared men in Domino, known for his ruthless tactics and unforgiving ways. I should be scared of him, but I'm not.

He grimaces at the use of his name, but doesn't comment on it, which surprises me. Usually he would never pass up on the opportunity to correct an employee, reprimanding them into calling him 'Sir' instead of such an 'informal, disrespectful name.' I must have impressed him. "You did well today, Ishtar," he praises me – a very rare thing.

"Like always," I say cockily – what's the point of being modest? We all know I'm the best shooter this place has ever seen.

"Don't get arrogant, or I may just have to fire you." It's an empty threat; they couldn't afford to lose me.

I decide to humour him, "I don't mean to be rude, Sir, but is there any particular reason you're talking to me?" I ask, wanting to know the real reason he was here. He never talks to someone without a proper reason, never mind compliment them as well as.

"Actually, there is something. Go and get cleaned up and meet me in my office in twenty minutes. I have business to discuss with you." And with that, he turns and leaves, stalking calmly down the old, worn out corridors.

I sigh. Really, I just want to tidy up and retire for the day, but it looks like that isn't happening. I glance towards the washroom with disdain; this place really doesn't look like it's owned by the richest man this side of Domino. The pipes are rusting, the paint is peeling off of the walls, most of the doors don't lock properly, and I swear I've seen rats infesting around the kitchens. This entire building is a health hazard waiting to happen, but does anybody care? Of course they don't. Why would they? It's not like we're important to them.

I take another glimpse at the grim covered door, before taking a deep breath and heading inside. I wash myself down quickly in one of the many showers provided, cleaning away the layer of sweat covering my skin. I re-dress in more casual attire before heading to meet Kaiba; I plan on leaving as soon as our little talk is done.

I make my way through the many halls until I'm standing in front of black door that has 'MR. S. KAIBA' written across it in gold letters – the only door in this building that isn't falling to pieces and actually locks. I swiftly knock three times on the frosted glass window, waiting patiently for my invitation inside.

"Come in." I promptly enter the room and sit down in the black leather chair in front of the desk, opposite Kaiba, who's leaning forwards in his seat, his elbows resting atop the desk with his head perched in his clasped hands, regarding me carefully.

"So, what did you want to see me about?" I ask, trying to get this whole ordeal over and done with as quickly as possible.

"I'm going to cut to the chase, we've had a tip off that we're being watched by the _scum_, and we've found out their location. I'd like you to go and take care of it."

With each word he spoke, my mood began to lighten. I'd waited for a mission for too long, just the thought was making the blood pumping through my veins quicken. I only felt truly alive on a mission, and it was a feeling I missed dearly. "When do you want me to go?"

"As soon as possible." His hand disappeared into the draw of his desk, pulling out a piece of paper and a pen. He scribbled something down and passed it to me. "That's the address to where they're supposed to be. Don't let me down, Ishtar."

"I'll leave tomorrow," I say, starting to get up.

"Tomorrow?" he questions, making me pause. "Can't you leave tonight?"

I shake my head. "No can do."

"Why not?"

Of course, he'd expect me to be ready to leave straight away. "I need time to prepare."

He makes a sort of huffing sound, clearly unimpressed by my 'lack of diligence,' but again, says nothing to punish me. I _really_ must have impressed him earlier. "Fair enough," he says through almost gritted teeth, "I expect you to report here this time tomorrow before you leave."

I almost ask 'why?' but I decide against it. It's better not to question his motives, he usually knows what he's talking about. "Yes, Sir."

"You may go."

I don't hesitate to leave; I want to get out of here as soon as possible. Now that I've got a mission, I'm going to need a lot more rest than I initially had thought.

I make my way through the building, until I'm in the car lot at the back. Instantly I spot my pride and joy sitting snuggly to the right of the car park, the cherry red paint sticking out against the dull greys and blacks of the cars surrounding it – my motorcycle. It's about the only ounce of colour this miserable town has, but that's not surprising, given the conditions we live in. Poverty has taken over, people are trying their hardest to survive, they have no time to be _happy_ or _comfortable_ in their homes, they just have to make sure they can earn enough money to stay alive, which recently has been a hard thing to do.

I'm part of one of the wealthier families thanks to my occupation, but that means nothing around here. I still live with my father – or should I say, my adoptive father, Odion. We're able to afford enough food to feed us every night, but that's as far as our wealth stretches. It was a miracle I was ever able to afford that motorcycle, it had taken me years to save up for it. It's the only possession I can truly call my own.

Their spies have been sneaking over, going right under our noses to steal our secrets, our inventions, our ideas, and then selling them for themselves before we have the chance. It's put them at an advantage – their strength, their knowledge, and now their money has made them powerful - but we won't be beaten, not without a fight.

We're developing technology that we're sure cannot be defeated. Kaiba keeps all of the plans in his mansion, which is in an unknown location to all of us – just because he's banished to the poorer side of Domino, doesn't mean he has to live in the slums with us. Nobody knows where the Kaiba mansion is located other than Kaiba and his little brother, Mokuba, who rarely ever shows his face around here. Kaiba probably forbids him to set foot on our crummy streets. I've seen the look of contempt on his face whenever he visits our town, we're obviously not worthy for _royalty._

They may not be of noble blood, but as far as leadership goes, the Kaiba's are the closest thing we have. We have no government, no president, no king or queen. The way our system works is quite simple – the family with the most money calls all of the shots. In most circumstances, this may seem unfair, but right now it couldn't have worked out better. The Kaiba's have a history in the fighting industry. Their father, Gozaburo, was one of the most successful war weapon creators in his day, back when we were the superior side, and they were whimpering at our feet, begging for mercy. Things need to go back to the way they were intended to be, and there's only one way that can happen.

We need to weaken them in order to regain what's rightfully ours, to enable our children to roam the streets happily without the fear that they're going to starve to death in a few weeks, or that _they_ are nearby, waiting to strike with their supernatural, mutant abilities, because that's all they are. Mutants. Abominations of nature. They were never supposed to exist, and that's why they must be destroyed.

I shake my head, breaking the spiteful thoughts and killing the rage bubbling up inside me. I need to focus; I can't be blinded by hate, not when I need to focus on driving – that would be far too reckless. I can't risk being in an accident, everyone depends on me too much, I'm the only hope this town has at a chance of salvation.

I straddle my bike and pull the keys from my pocket, turning them in the ignition and revving the engine. A shiver runs up my spine; call me an adrenaline junkie if you must, but I'll never get tired of the thrill riding my bike brings me. The speed, the danger, the freedom – it's all so exciting. I wouldn't trade this feeling for anything in the world.

I rev the engine once more, before speeding off down the street.

* * *

**Thank you to je-suis-mai for helping me name this!**

**I just want to say Bakura won't be in this until around chapter three... but after that, there's a lot of Bakura goodness, so don't worry!**

**I don't know when the next chapter will be up, and I'm not going to estimate a time right now in case I'm completely wrong.**

**I keep my profile updated, so if you're ever curious as to how the progress is coming, just take a look!**

**Thanks for reading :)**


	2. White Light Saviour

**I managed to get this out a lot sooner than I thought I would, woo!**

**Just so you guys know, Malik isn't a vegetarian in this. Because of the way he lives, he can't afford to be picky about what he eats.**

* * *

**Chapter 2**

**White Light Saviour**

* * *

I arrived at home; the faint aroma of spices hit my nostrils as I walked through the door, making me drool and my stomach growl in impatience, wanting to be fed after being neglected since breakfast. I drop my keys in the side dish next to the door, and hang my jacket up on a peg, before making my way into the kitchen.

Odion and I live in a modest two bedroom apartment – we don't have much, but we're better off than the majority of the town. The walls are kept a simple cream, and the carpets a dark brown. There are five doors throughout the narrow corridor. The one closest to the front door on the right leads into the living room, and next to it is my bedroom. Opposite the lounge is the kitchen and dining room, with the bathroom next to it, and directly at the bottom of the hall way is Odion's room.

I open the door to the kitchen, and the delicious smell grows stronger, teasing my hunger and making it almost unbearable to cope with. In front of the stove is Odion, stirring a pot of what looks and smells like chilli.

"How was work?" he asks, turning briefly to look at me.

"As shit as usual," I say, taking a seat in one of the chairs surrounding the table in the centre of the room. "I have a new mission."

"Oh?" he says, sounding vaguely interested, although I hear the hint of worry in his voice.

"Yeah, we've had a tip off about some power-holders in the area. Kaiba wants me to get rid of them." My eyes narrow as I mention the scum – the sooner they're gone, the better. "The stupid bastard wanted me to leave tonight, though."

"When are you leaving?" he asks, ceasing his stirring and turning the hob off.

"Tomorrow evening," I say, watching as he takes two bowls from the cupboard and pours the concoction of tomatoes, kidney beans, mince beef and rice into them. He hands me one of the bowls with a spoon, and after an eager growl of encouragement from my stomach, I dig in, beginning to devour the food. The hot tomato sauce burns my tongue, but I hardly notice it as I shovel the food into my mouth, only concentrating on eating as much as I possibly can. I really need to remember to eat during the day.

"Slow down, Malik! You're going to give yourself indigestion if you keep eating like that," he says, frowning and sitting down opposite me, taking a considerably smaller spoonful than I had.

I swallow the food in my mouth before I speak, "Sorry, Odion." I take a smaller spoonful, blowing on it lightly before putting it into my mouth. He smiles, and I grin. Even though he's my adoptive father, I've always seen him as more of a brother than anything else. He's only ten years older than me – far too young to ever be considered my father. He's never really acted like a parent to me, either. He's always been more of an over protective sibling than anything else, but I'm glad – I haven't exactly had the greatest experience with fathers.

"I take it you're going to spend the day preparing for your mission tomorrow, right?" The worry is back on his face, his smile melting away and being replaced by a frown in a matter of seconds.

"Yes," I say, finishing off my food, before adding, "and stop worrying, it's not good for you. I'll be fine – I'm the best in the business, after all."

"You may be the best, but power-holders are dangerous. You of all people should know that."

I stiffen in my seat, my eyes hardening. "I'll be fine," I almost spit, my voice cold and angry.

He nods his head, his eyes filling with the concern he's trying to hide from his face. "I'm sorry, Malik. I know you'll be fine."

"I'm going to bed." I get up from the table, making it to the door before Odion's voice stops me in my tracks.

"So early?"

I nod, turning to meet his eyes. "I need as much rest as I can get if I'm going to be dealing with power-holders. You said yourself; I of all people know what they're like."

He flinches at my harsh tone, his eyes flashing with hurt before filling with sincerity, "I'm sorry; I shouldn't have brought that up."

"No, you shouldn't have. Goodnight." I open the door quickly, exiting the room with my jaw clenched. I refuse to do something as pathetic as crying over something that happened so long ago, yet I feel the burning sting of tears prickling my eyes.

My past is a dark place – one I don't care to revisit. Odion knows that, and he doesn't usually bring it up. He knows better than to remind me of that awful time – one I wish to erase from my memory forever.

I've spent enough hours feeling miserable about it, replaying those dreadful months in my head over and over again, trying to figure out where everything went wrong. But it's all pointless, all it does is make me feel worse, weak and vulnerable - qualities a good assassin shouldn't possess.

When Odion adopted me, he spent the first few months trying to get me to open up; to reveal my horrible nightmare of a life to him so that he could 'understand' and 'help me through it.' I, of course, told him nothing, but that didn't stop him. He kept pushing and pushing for information, and one day, I snapped.

I told him everything – every last gory detail. I screamed, I fought, and I cried. I'm not proud of what I did that day, but there's nothing I can do to change the past.

Now, even the smallest of references to my past triggers my anger, and I don't want to go back to how I was that day - I don't want to hurt the only person who ever truly cared for me.

I strip out of my clothes, leaving only my boxers on before shuffling underneath my duvet, snuggling into warmth and resting my head on my lone, lumpy pillow. Whenever I feel the anger bubbling up inside of me, or the tears threatening to spill over, I run before I do something I regret. If I were to ever hurt Odion, I'd never forgive myself.

I sigh, glancing one last time around my room, before shutting my eyes tight. I need to escape from this world for a while, and sleep is the safest option.

* * *

I spent the majority of the next day at work preparing for the mission – sorting out what guns I should carry, what gear I should wear, how I should go about the assassination, etc.

The only information I have is the address Kaiba gave me, telling me the location is outside – not a lot to go on. I don't know how many power-holders there will be, or what their powers are, which can make trying to plan an attack on them quite difficult – but not impossible.

I start to get dressed in one of the locker rooms provided. It's quite a small room, with six grey lockers surrounding the walls. Due to the lack of space, whoever gets the lockers is determined on a first come first serve basis. But it doesn't really matter, only people going out on missions use lockers, and these days they have gotten so rare, it's one of the least used rooms in the entire building.

I'm dressed in all black, trying to cover up as much as possible so I can blend into the night to avoid being seen. I decide to take my handgun with me – it hasn't failed me on a mission yet, and it's always best to stick with what you know in unknown circumstances.

I leave the locker room quickly, making my way through the corridors, towards Kaiba's office. I knock once on the door, but instead of being called inside, it opens to reveal the man himself.

Kaiba steps back to let me inside, before closing and locking the door. He leads us both towards the desk, and we sit down.

"I don't want to keep you waiting long," he says. "I just want to know how you plan to go about it."

The question catches me off guard; he doesn't usually care how the job is done, as long as it's successful. "I was going to stake out near them, and strike at the right time."

He nods his head. "I see, and what were you planning to kill them with?"

"This." I take my gun out of its holster, sliding it across the desk.

Kaiba picks it up, examining it carefully, before placing it down again. "A good choice, but will it be effective?"

"It hasn't failed me yet." I smile to myself, thinking about all of the jobs I've completed with the help of my handgun.

"Even so, it is slightly on the small side." He reaches into his draw, pulling out a jet black gun at least twice the size of my own, with a strap attached to it. "This is something I've been working on for a while now. I want you to take it with you." He passes me the new gun along with my own.

I pick both weapons up, placing my gun in its holster and the new gun over my shoulder so that it's resting securely against my back. "If that's all, I'll be on my way now," I say, getting up and walking to the door.

"Good luck, Ishtar."

* * *

I slow my motorbike down, creeping as quietly as possible as I near my destination. The further out I go, the more greenery I am faced with, until I'm heading straight into a woods.

Soon, the road stops, and I'm forced to my feet. I move amongst the trees, using their height to my advantage and keeping in the shadows their leaves provide to keep hidden.

After about ten minutes of walking, I hear the faint sounds of a conversation in the distance, and halt in my steps. I crouch down, keeping as low to the floor as I can as I stalk forwards.

Eventually, I spot a small tent in the distance. There's a faint glow emitting from the inside, and the conversation is louder, although I can't make out what they're saying.

I spot a bush to my left, and make my way towards it as carefully as possible. I'm almost there, when a misplaced foot lands on a twig, snapping it in half with a _crack._

I pause, my heart pounding loudly in my ears as the conversation ceases. I see the entrance to the tent flap open, and quickly dive behind the bush, out of sight. I curse myself for making such an amateur mistake. I've been doing this job since I was sixteen, and now I may have jeopardised a mission because of my clumsiness.

After a few minutes, I chance a look upwards, only to see a power-holder staring back at me. I duck back behind the bush, but it's too late, I can hear his footsteps moving towards me. Fuck.

I hear a voice shout something that I cannot decipher, followed by a fresh set of footsteps. A new power-holder. I panic, and block out their voices from my mind, trying desperately to free my gun from its clasps against my back.

I fumble with it, trying to free it very unsuccessfully. By the time the hunk of metal is free from the straps, I realise something. Something I probably should have thought about earlier.

I have no fucking idea how this thing works, and I have two power-holders chasing after me.

Double fuck.

I give up with the new weapon, throwing it on the floor none too gracefully and reaching for my handgun. I look up with the plan of shooting the two bastards down, but I'm not quick enough.

A blinding orange light hits me full force, sending me crashing backwards and onto the grassy bed of leaves and twigs. I try to stand up, but it feels as if there's a weight on top of me, pushing me further into the dirt the more I try to resist it.

Slowly, the feeling from my body begins to leave me, starting in my toes and slowly creeping up to my head, until I feel numb all over, as if I'm floating in mid-air instead of lying pathetically on the cold forest floor.

I hear more shouting, before one by one, my other senses begin to leave me. My hearing cuts out first, and that's when I truly begin to realise how helpless I am.

A searing pain begins to fire up inside of my stomach, and although I cannot feel anything, it radiates throughout my body, making my head spin in agony. I try to scream, but I don't know if any noise is coming out as the agony continues to consume me, what feels like flames ripping my insides apart, scorching my veins and boiling my blood. I try to screw my eyes shut in hopes of relieving some of the tension, but I'm unable to as my body remains paralysed.

The pain increases, becoming more intense with each passing minute, and I soon feel my consciousness begin to leave me.

The last thing I see is a blinding white light moving towards me, before I allow myself to be carried away into the comfort of the darkness.

* * *

**I'm quite pleased with how the ending to this turned out, I hope you like it too!**


	3. A Light in the Dark

**Hey guys! I just wanted to say a quick thank you to everyone who has reviewed/followed/fav'd this story so far!**

**I apologise if there are any typos in this. I'm really tired today, but I wanted to post this now because I don't think I'll have much time during the weekend. If you do spot any, if you could please point them out, that would be great!**

**I hope you enjoy :)**

* * *

**Chapter 3**

**The Light in the Dark**

* * *

My eyes blink open wearily, pain shooting through my skull as they're greeted with the obnoxious bright light of… wherever the hell I am. I wince, shying away from the pain, but I force my eyes to stay open. My vision's blurry. No matter how hard I strain, I cannot make out the shapes that surround me.

Memories of what happened before I passed out start to flood back into my head, making me cringe. How pathetic I must have looked, letting something as insignificant as a power-holders attack hold me back from completing my mission. But it did make me wonder…

If I couldn't move, and there were two pissed off power-holders after me, then why am I still alive?

I blink repeatedly, trying to regain my eye sight so I can figure out where I am. Eventually, things become less fuzzy, and I'm able to take in my surroundings for the first time.

Much to my surprise, I find myself in a bedroom – a fairly nice one, too. The walls are a light brown, and the floors are wooden, with a small red rug next to the bed in the centre of the room. The sheets are a crisp, clean white, with a mauve woollen blanket thrown over the end. There are two nightstands either side of the bed, and a mirror directly in front of it.

I take a look at my appearance. I don't look hurt; in fact, I look healthier than I have in months, maybe even years! But that can't be right…

I notice there are no restraints on my arms, so I decide to get up to examine the room properly, and see if a chance of escaping is possible.

There's just one problem, my body isn't moving.

No matter how hard I try, nothing below my neck will move an inch. I start to panic – is that why I have no restraints? What did those monsters do to me?! I growl deep within my throat, promising to myself as soon as I'm out of this predicament, I'll torture them all slowly, painfully, until they're begging me to stop. Then, I'll slit their throats, ending their pointless, disgusting lives, letting my kind have the freedom they deserve.

The door handle begins to turn, stopping my inner musings and focusing my attention solely on whomever it is entering the room. I can't say I'm not scared, because I am. I'm completely vulnerable, and the person entering could be a complete psychopath. My staying alive for this long means nothing – they could have been waiting for me to wake up so I'm conscious when they torture me, so I can feel them ripping my flesh apart, so they can hear me scream and cry out in anguish.

The door opens a crack, and my heart quickens. I'm going to die, and there isn't a damn thing I can do to stop it. I can't even fight back and go out with my dignity intact, and that thought scares me the most.

I don't dare to look at my kidnapper. I keep my head down, staring at the bed sheets as they enter, closing the door behind them with a click.

I hear them shuffle forwards, coming closer and closer to the bed. I shut my eyes again, making it look as if I'm still unconscious. If they really are waiting for me to wake up, this may just buy me some time.

I hear a soft sigh, before a feather light touch caresses my face, brushing the skin of my forehead so gently, I can barely feel it. They pause for a moment and I feel an extra weight press down on the corner of the mattress.

"Please…don't die on me…" a soft, almost feminine voice breathes out, confusing me. Don't they want me to die? Isn't that the whole purpose of keeping me here?

Soon, my curiosity gets the better of me, and I decide to take a look. It can't be that dangerous, right? If they don't want me to die, taking a peak at my kidnapper won't hurt…

My eyelids flutter open gently, adjusting to the light quickly. I gaze upwards at my attacker, and can't help the gasp that escapes my lips as I regard him.

He's not the psychotic, burly mass murderer I was expecting – he's the exact opposite.

The ghostly white tresses cascading down his back frame his round face, accentuating his angelic features and drawing attention to his dark, chocolate brown eyes, which are wide in surprise from my sudden movement. His fragile frame is covered in a loose fitting light blue and white stripped t-shirt and his legs in light denim jeans.

He gasps, rushing off of the side of the bed and jumping to his feet. He stares at me for a few moments with his wide eyes, his mouth agape. After a few moments, his shocked expression melts away, and a huge grin replaces it, lighting up his face and making his eyes sparkle.

"You're alive!" he shouts, running forwards and tightening his arms around my neck in a painful embrace.

I don't say anything; I blink at the forwardness of my supposed 'kidnapper.' I'm not an expert on these situations, but I'm pretty sure this isn't how it's supposed to go.

He seems to pick up on my confusion, and takes a step back, looking at me sheepishly and awkwardly rubbing the back of his neck. "Sorry about that… I'm just so relieved! I honestly thought you were going to die."

I raise an eyebrow, my head filling with questions as I glance at the strange boy in front of me. Who are you? Why am I here? How did I get here?

"This is all probably really confusing for you…" he starts to say, sitting back down on the bed so that he's level with me. "I guess I should begin with the basics… My name's Ryou Touzouku. You're probably wondering where you are too, aren't you?"

I nod my head, taking in the new information and signalling for him to continue.

"I think before I tell you, I should probably mention something important…" He chews on his lip nervously, putting off saying whatever information he's withholding from me.

Eventually, he stops and looks up towards me, his face full of determination so that he won't chicken out. "I'm a…power-holder."

My eyes almost pop out of their sockets as he speaks the dreaded words. It seems he's not so innocent after all. It's probably all just an act – put me into a false state of security, and then rip me to pieces with whatever mutant power he possesses. Well, he's not fooling me, that's for sure!

My eyes harden as I fix him with a steely glare. "If that's what you are, why don't you just kill me now and save yourself the trouble," I say, my voice cold as I speak for the first time.

His eyes widen, he waves his arms around frantically as if he's trying to rid the air of the words I've just spoken. "Oh, no, no! I can assure you I have no intention of killing you!"

I scoff. "You're a power-holder; of course you're going to kill me. What else would you keep me here for?"

I'm surprised when I see hurt flash in his eyes, his expression turning stony. "Not all power-holders are cold blooded murderers!" his voice is cold, harsh – a complete contrast to his lighter tones from earlier. I didn't think he would be able to produce such venom. Perhaps there is more to him than meets the eye.

"If you're not going to kill me, why am I here?"

He sighs, running a hand through his hair, debating the best way to explain the whole situation to me. "Let me start from the beginning…" He takes a deep breath before he continues. "A few nights ago I take it you were ordered to come and assassinate us, correct?"

I nod, "Yes."

"I was sat in the tent when you came to attack us, but I didn't hear you at first. One of my co-workers – Joey – however, did. He ran out of the tent so quickly, at first I didn't realise he was gone, but then I heard running coming from outside, and I knew something was up.

"I ran outside in hopes of helping him, when I saw what he was aiming for – you. I'm not like most power-holders, I hold a belief that this stupid war should end. We're all humans, why can't we live together peacefully? There's no reason for us to fight, yet we do constantly, turning against each other for no reason other than power. Because of my beliefs, I knew I had to help you, so I ran after Joey, calling after him to stop. Of course, he didn't listen, and I was too late to stop him from striking, but not too late to save you.

"I managed to knock Joey out before he could do more damage. How, I'm not sure, but I did it. I ran towards you, and saw that you were unconscious – not a good sign. You see, Joey's powers are highly lethal – they render the victim motionless, removing their senses one by one until their body is paralysed. Then it spreads throughout the body, switching off your organs one by one, until you eventually die."

"Then shouldn't I be dead right now?" I ask, not fully trusting the legitimacy of his story.

"In theory, yes, but I was able to save you. My powers are different from the usual, which is why I get dragged along on so many missions. I have healing powers – I can cure almost every illness and injury, but the higher the risk of death, the harder it is. Your condition took quite a lot out of me, so much that I thought my efforts were useless and that you were going to die. I didn't want that to happen, so I quickly brought you back to my house. You've been out for about four days now."

My eyes grow wide; I've been here for _four days?!_ Odion is going to be worried sick! If he knew I was in the house of a power-holder, he'd go ballistic. He'd go worse than ballistic; he'd go super fucking psychotic and try to kill Kaiba for putting me in so much danger. The thought reminds me of something Ryou mentioned earlier, "What about Joey? Won't he be pissed that you stopped him from killing me?"

"He won't remember. I have another power – I can erase up to an hour of someone's memory as long as I replace it with something different. Joey thinks attacking you is just a dream he had after eating too much pizza, we don't need to worry about him."

"And how long will it be before I can walk again?" I ask him, staring down at my paralysed body with disdain – I hate feeling so vulnerable.

He scrunches his eyebrows together in confusion, tilting his head to the side slightly. "What do you mean?"

"I tried to move earlier, but the only thing I can is my head."

"Oh no…" he mumbles, chewing on his bottom lip as he looks my body up and down, as if a solution would jump out at him. "You're sure you can't move?"

"Positive."

He gets up and begins to pace the length of the room, running his hand across his jaw in concentration, before his head snaps back around to me at a lightning fast pace. "Not to worry, I'm almost 100% sure I can fix this…"

"_Almost?_" I say as he approaches me, his hands hovering just above my chest, "so there's a chance this might not work?"

"Well, yes, but it's unlikely you'll remain paralysed. I need you to be quiet for me now." He closes his eyes, his hands held out firmly in front of his chest, directly above my heart. The room is silent, nothing is happening. What if he's just messing around with me? What if he actually has no powers and I'm going to remain unable to move for the rest of my life. I _need_ to be better, otherwise I lose my job, and I lose the only income Odion and I have. We can't survive on his salary, and I won't ever be able to get a job if I can't walk. I swear to God, the next time I see this Joey, I'm going to shoot him straight through the skull, paralysed or not.

My inner panic is cut short however, when a faint light starts to light up Ryou's hands, illuminating his skin to an even more pristine porcelain white. The light becomes brighter, spreading up his arms as the power builds up in his veins. His hair begins to whip around him, flying out behind him as if there's a breeze in the room.

His whole body is glowing now; he lowers his hands so that they're pressed against my chest, and the effect is almost instant.

His hands begin to glow with a yellow tinge, and a cold, watery substance runs through my veins. I feel as if I'm being plunged into a bucket of ice, but it's far from uncomfortable. I feel so strong, like I could kill a thousand power-holders without even breaking a sweat. It's euphoric – I've never felt so alive, not even when wielding my gun. It's a completely different sensation, one I'm sure I could get used to.

But as soon as the feeling is there, it's gone. I come down from the high to see Ryou sitting hunched over on the bed, his hands cradling his face as his breaths come out in short, quick puffs.

"Are you…um…okay?" It's a stupid question, I know.

"Y-yeah, it just takes it out of me sometimes…" He massages his forehead slowly, his eyes scrunched up in pain and his jaw locked. "How do you feel?"

My eyebrows crease in concern, why's he doing this? I understand that he doesn't discriminate between those with powers and those who don't, but I'm a complete stranger to him, and he's doing so much for me. There must be something going on here, no one can have such good intentions without wanting, or needing something in return. "I feel…okay." I glance down at my body, and cautiously try to move my arm. Thankfully, it lifts up off of the mattress, and into the air. I can only hold it for a few seconds, before my energy is drained, and it flops back onto the bed.

He finally lifts his head, looking at me with a smile, and I force myself to smile back. A part of me is screaming at me to get up and run, to grab my gun and put a bullet through his naïve little head. He's fixed me now; I should be fulfilling my job as an assassin. I should teach him not to be so trusting, but I can't bring myself to do it. There's something…strange going on here, and I'll be damned if I don't figure it out before I leave.

"I'm glad that worked, but I think you should get some more rest before you try to get out of bed," he says, getting off of the mattress and walking towards the door. He turns around and looks at me briefly, his eyes weary. "I'll bring you some food in the morning. If you wake up later on, please don't make too much noise…if my brother hears you…" He scowls at the air.

"Your brother?" I question. Why can't his brother know I'm here?

"Let's just say… he won't be as nice as I am…" He opens the door, turning one last time to flash me a kind smile. "Goodnight…oh um… you never did tell me your name…"

"It's Malik," I say absentmindedly, too busy thinking over the situation.

"Ahh! Well goodnight, Malik!" He says, exiting the room. I vaguely hear the door locking behind him, and the faint thump of footsteps going down a set of stairs, but my mind is still working overtime.

Am I unsafe being here? Who is this brother, and why's he so dangerous? How can someone so dangerous be related to Ryou? Is there a specific reason I'm here? When am I going to be freed? So many questions, but they'll have to stay unanswered for now.

I roll over in the bed, burying my face into the soft, fluffy pillow – such a luxury compared to my own back at home. As my eyes flutter shut, heavy with sleep, I make a promise to myself.

I'm going to find out what's going on, and I'm going to break free before I become a part of it.

* * *

**AND OUR FAVOURITE CREAMPUFF HAS BEEN ADDED TO THE STORY! HUZZAH!**

**I know it may seem like it now, but I can assure you this is NOT an angstshipping fic! **

** The plot picks up a bit more in the next chapter, and I'll try to get that up ASAP. It will most likely be on Monday, but please don't hold me to that!**

**As I said before, I hope you enjoyed!**


	4. Fire

**And I got it out when I said I would, frig yes!**

**I _really_ hope I did this chapter justice, as one of my favourite characters is finally introduced (I think you know who I mean ;D)**

**Enjoy~**

* * *

**Chapter 4**

**Fire**

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The light stripes in through the cracks in the blinds, shining a faint dusting of white across the wooden panels of the bedroom floor. I groan, the sunny morning interrupting my slumber. I haven't been getting much sleep recently, mainly because I haven't been allowed to do anything other than lie in bed for the past week. Ryou's been looking after me, helping me 'build my strength up' by bringing me food, and not allowing me any physical activity. At first I thought he had my best intentions at heart, but now I think there's more to it than meets the eye. I'm perfectly fine now; I can walk and move around just as easily as I could before the mission, yet he stills insists I stay in the room. I'm bored beyond belief; the only source of entertainment he's allowed me is a pile of books he dug up from somewhere else in the house, due to a television being too noisy – he still doesn't want his brother to find me, though he refuses to tell me why. I've read all of the books twice, and now all I have is my mind to keep me occupied. The extra thinking time has left me with one conclusion: he's keeping me here for a reason, one he's too afraid to tell me just yet.

The door starts to open, and I turn my attention towards it. Ryou enters, as he does every morning, with a tray of food for me to eat. He walks towards me, a smile on his face as he sets it down.

"Good morning, Malik!" he chirps, he's always so _happy_, it seems unnatural – another reason I believe this is all an act.

"Morning, Ryou," I say back, picking up the tray and examining my food. A bowl of porridge, a banana and two slices of toast – way more food than I need, but he always insists I eat it all.

"How did you sleep?" he asks, like he does every morning. My life has become extremely repetitive in the short space of seven days. I need to find a way out, otherwise I'm going to end up insane.

"Okay," I answer, picking up a piece of toast and taking a bite. The food always tastes mouth-wateringly delicious, like nothing I've ever tasted before. The quality of the ingredients is a lot higher than back home, we always used to buy whatever we could afford, regardless of how nice is tasted – we couldn't afford to be picky.

"Good! I've brought you some more books to read."

_Oh, joy._

He reaches behind him and places three books on top of the pile stacked up on the nightstand.

"Um, thanks," I say, finishing off my toast and starting on my porridge. "But don't you think I'm well enough to leave?"

He stiffens ever so slightly; it would have been unnoticeable to the untrained eye. "No, I think you need to stay a few more days."

_Of course I do._

I'm sick of this; I need to get out of here, I need to see Odion again – it's been two weeks since I last saw him, he's probably going out of his mind with worry. "Ryou, please, just tell me why I'm here."

He glances down at the floor, avoiding my eyes. "You're here so you can get better." He's lying, I can tell.

I sigh; he's not going to give me any answers. "Okay Ryou."

He smiles weakly at me, before standing up and walking to the door. "I'll bring you your lunch later," he says, before he leaves, and I'm once again left to entertain myself.

I growl, throwing my spoon into my half eaten porridge. At this rate, I'll never get out of here. The only way I can leave is if I escape, and that's exactly what I'm going to do.

Tonight, I'll be out of here for good.

The room is pitch-black – it must be around midnight. I spent the whole day devising a way to escape this place, and I've finally thought of the perfect plan. I'm almost 100% sure nothing can go wrong.

I decided to sneak out of my room as soon as I'm sure Ryou has gone to sleep. I'll take a proper look around the house, examining every possible exit, and then go back to my room to use my newly acquired information to figure out the best escape route.

Ryou gave me my dinner a few hours ago, but he was oddly quiet. He didn't ask how my day had been like he normally does, he just handed me my tray, and left without a word.

I listened carefully after he left, straining my ears to catch every footstep as he went back down the stairs. For the past few hours the faint sounds of chatter coming from what I assume to be a television were all I could hear, but now they've finally been silenced. I'm sure he's gone to bed by now, and I'm ready to put my plan into action.

As quietly as I can, I slip from within the bed covers, and softly place my feet on the floor. I stretch my seized up limbs, hearing a satisfying crack as they're finally put to use after two weeks of hardly any movement. I creep as quietly as I can towards the door, my feet padding softly across the wooden surface. I put as little weight on the ground as I can, carefully placing each step so I don't stand too harshly on a loose floorboard.

I graze my hand across the metal of the door handle, before something occurs to me – I should probably take a weapon of some sort with me. I'm not bothered about bumping into Ryou, he would be easy to take down without the help of a weapon, but he did mention his brother isn't as harmless as he is… I don't want to take any kind of risk, I don't want to jeopardise my chances of returning home.

I scan the room ever so briefly for my gun, but it's not there. Ryou must have hidden it in case I decided to use it against him when I woke up. I debate whether or not I should leave unarmed, when something catches my attention out of the corner of my eye – the fork I used for dinner.

I rush forwards, grasping the utensil off of my dinner plate. I prod my index finger to test its sharpness, and I'm not disappointed – it's not the greatest weapon, but it'll have to do for now. I hook it under my belt, before once again making my way towards the door.

I crack it open ever so gently, trying to create as little sound as possible before slipping through the small gap. I shut it with a soft _click_, and glance down the hallway for the first time.

There are no other rooms on this floor, just a small corridor with stairs directly at the end. I move as silently as possible, keeping to the shadows as I creep down the stairs, taking each step one at a time, with my back practically glued to the wall.

I make it to the end with no interruptions, and I'm greeted with another corridor. This one has multiple doors leading out of it, all of them closed. I crouch low to the ground, trying to decide which one I should try first. I press my ear to the first door, listening carefully for any signs of movement. When I hear nothing unusual, I test the handle, only to discover it's locked. Damn.

I try the second door, doing the same thing as the first, and once again hearing nothing. I push the door open, thanking God that this one isn't locked. I look around, seeing that this room is a bathroom. I glance around for a window of some sort, and see a small one above the bath. It's not very big, but with a push I could squeeze through it.

I leave the room, shutting the door behind me and slipping back into the shadows of the hallway. I make my way towards the third door, and again, press my ear against the wooden frame. I hear nothing; it looks like Ryou and his brother are asleep. I reach for the handle, but before I even put my hand on it, it begins to turn. My eyes widen, I turn and frantically search for somewhere to hide. Luckily I spot a cupboard underneath the stairs. I run towards it, opening the door and slipping inside before I'm noticed. It's a tight fit, but it's the only way I can remain unseen as the door opens and a lean figure steps into the hall.

He circles around once, as if he's looking for something, like an animal stalking its prey. My heart rate quickens, does that mean he heard me? He moves to the left, and out of my line of sight. I wait for a moment, before tentatively moving my head further out of the door to see if the cost is clear.

I see nothing, and creep out slowly, being excessively careful as I make my way back into the hallway. I need to go back to my room; it's too dangerous to stay down here whilst someone else is awake. I can come back later on and try again, but for now I must retreat before I'm caught.

I make it out of the cupboard safely, and spare no time racing towards the stairs. I climb them two at a time, trying to remain as silent as I can as I move quickly. I can't waste time being slow and careful now, he could come back any second – I need to get out of here. My feet hit the carpet with a thud repeatedly as I race forwards, making my way to the top in record time. My door is insight; I'm only a few steps away from safety. I curse my luck, why was he still awake? Was that Ryou, or his infamous brother? How much danger was I truly in?

I reach the door, and grab onto the handle. I'm about to turn it, when someone hooks onto the back of my shirt, smashing my face against the plaster of the wall. I grimace from the force, my nose throbbing, and a dull ache moving through my forehead as I'm pressed against the wall. They twist my arm backwards, a sharp pain shooting through my shoulder blade as their other arm digs into my back, keeping me firmly in place.

Their mouth moves next to my ear, their hot breath tickling my skin as a growl passes between their lips. "Who the fuck are you?" His voice is deep and raspy – definitely not Ryou.

I don't answer, I wriggle my body to try and escape, but all that accomplishes is him tightening his grip painfully.

"What business do you have in my house? Are you trying to steal from me?" He laughs mockingly. "Because I can assure you you've made a huge mistake." He flips me around so my back is pressed against the wall instead, his hands fisting themselves in my shirt, and I see his features for the first time.

He looks so much like Ryou that at first glance, I mistake him for the kinder boy. That is, until I see his features more carefully. His eyes are narrower, and his cheek bones sharper, harsher. His hair, though it frames his face in the same way, is spikier, with two pieces sticking up out of the top, making him appear rugged. This must be the notorious brother I've heard oh-so-much about.

A single hand moves towards my neck, clutching it painfully, but not enough to cut off my air supply. His other hand moves to the side of his head so I can see it. "Tell me why you're here," he demands.

"I owe you nothing," I spit back, trying to hide the worry from my face.

"Oh, is that so?" he says with a crooked smile. "Well that's such a shame; I was hoping you'd be more compliant. Oh well," he drawls, not sounding bothered at all. He trails a finger down my jawline, his skin quite literally burning as it scorches my own flesh. I hiss, snapping my head to the side. He throws his head back and laughs, the loud, crazy noise emanating from his chest, the vibrations racking through him and making him shake.

Eventually he stops, and his gaze is once again on me. There's a glint in his eyes, making him look borderline psychotic as he stares at me, his hand moving back to his side. "I'm going to make you pay for intruding."

I need to get out of here; there must be a way to escape! I think as quickly as I can, and then I remember – I came prepared.

I grab the fork from my belt, and make to stab him with it, but he's too fast. He catches my hand as I'm about to plunge the spikes into his skin, and squeezes so hard, I drop the utensil. It clatters to the floor, and he looks back at me, snarling.

"I was going to go easy on you, until you did that."

His hand begins to glow, much like Ryou's did before he healed me, except this time it's an angry red shooting through his insides rather than an angelic white. The outlines of his veins turn black, bulging out against his arm. It looks excruciatingly painful, but he doesn't flinch. He keeps his merciless gaze upon me, taking pleasure in the way my eyes widen as his arm becomes darker and darker, until flames are shooting from his fingertips. I can already feel the heat that's radiating from him.

He moves his hand slowly closer, and a feeling of dread settles itself in the pit of my stomach. How much damage is he going to do? Is he going to…kill me? He certainly seems crazy enough…

I close my eyes; his hand is so close I can almost feel the flames licking my skin. My jaw tenses, waiting for the pain that's sure to come.

"Bakura!"

The voice seems to startle us both. I snap my eyes open, and he drops his hands from my form, turning around to face Ryou, who's standing behind us in shock.

"Bakura, what are you doing?!"

Bakura sends a glare to Ryou, "I'm sorting out our _intruder_, what does it look like I'm doing?"

"He's not an intruder, he's my friend!" Ryou says desperately, his voice high as he glances between the two of us, panic written across his features.

"If he's your friend, then why didn't I know he was here, and why was he sneaking around downstairs?"

Ryou glances at me; hurt flashing in his eyes as he sends me a look that seems to say 'I told you to stay put.' "I didn't see a need to tell you…"

"Oh, I see," he says, moving forwards so he's in front of his brother. "So this isn't another attempt to get someone to join that silly club of yours?"

Club? What club? Is that why he's been keeping me here?

"I— of course not!" he says, shrinking in on himself as his brother moves closer.

"I don't believe you, Ryou. Why else would you keep him," he pauses, glancing over towards me briefly, "a secret?"

Ryou keeps his head down, not bothering to answer his brother. So that _is_ why he's been keeping me here!

Bakura scoffs. "I knew it. So what power does he have that you want so badly as to keep him here against his will?"

Ryou mumbles something incoherent under his breath that I cannot decipher, but Bakura seems to have heard it. I swear he has advanced hearing or something.

His fists clench, but when he speaks it's in an eerily quiet tone. "What do you mean…you brought a non-power holder into my house?"

Ryou whimpers, "I-I'm sorry! He's just what we need; we all agreed that having someone from the other side would help us-"

"-I DON'T CARE WHAT YOU ALL 'AGREED' ON, DO YOU KNOW HOW DANGEROUS THIS IS?" Bakura screams, slamming his fist into the wall next to his brother's head. "HE COULD HAVE KILLED YOU!"

"But he didn't!" Ryou says, backing away from Bakura slightly, "We need him, Bakura! If we're going to stop this once and for all, _we need him!_"

Bakura stops moving for a second, as if he's thinking things over in his head. I have no idea what's going on, or why I'm so important in their plans, but the moment his piercing gaze is back on me, I start to panic. Nothing about this can be good.

"If we do need him as much as you say we do…" he starts, walking in the opposite direction straight over to me, "then we can keep him."

My stare hardens; I've had enough of them talking about me like I'm not here. "I'm not a dog, you know? You can't just 'keep me' like I'm a stray you've found on the street!"

I'm surprised when that deep chuckle rings through the air as Bakura stands in front of me. "Feisty, hey? Maybe you can help us after all."

"Help you do what, exactly?"

"You'll find out in good time, but for now," he grabs hold of my arms, his hand still warm from before, "you're coming with me."

I struggle in his grip as he pulls me along the corridor, "What do you mean?"

"I mean, _dearest_, that you're no longer in Ryou's care, you're in mine."

My eyes widen, and I swallow thickly. If the sadistic grin on Bakura's face means anything, I think I may have just made my whole experience here a hell of a lot worse.

_Oh shit._

* * *

**Whilst I was writing this I realised, I'm really mean to Malik... _oh well._**

**So finally we have our three main characters! But there's still plenty more to come!**

**I'm not sure when the next chapter will be out, but I reckon around Thursday-Fridayish.**

**Thanks for reading!**


	5. Fighting Fire With Fire

**I am so sorry it's taken me ages to write this chapter... I've had a lot going on with school and exams recently and I just haven't had the time D'X **

**I should be able to update a lot quicker from now on, but I won't be able to upload a chapter every week...sorry.**

**I hope this chapter's worth the wait, though.**

**Hope you enjoy!**

* * *

**A Scorching Darkness**

**Chapter 5**

**Fighting**** Fire With Fire **

* * *

To my surprise, things haven't changed as much as I previously thought they would.

I was apprehensive the night Bakura caught me and took my back into my room. I didn't know whether to be happy with the small amount of information I had acquired or not, and truthfully, I still don't know how I should feel about it. I now know for sure that I'm here for a purpose, but the fact that purpose is still unknown to me is as equally as frustrating as being lied to everyday by Ryou.

The first day Bakura came into my room to bring me my breakfast, I thought it would be the end of me. I had worked myself up about it the previous night, making myself believe that now that Bakura knew I was there, there would be no messing around. I thought he would kill me as soon as his reason for keeping me here was over.

But that was just the thing – he hasn't used me yet.

I've been here for just over a month, and nothing has changed. I don't know what he's waiting for, or why he's delaying whatever fate he's planned out for me, but now I just wish he'd hurry up. My curiosity is killing me, I _need_ to know, or I fear I'll go insane! But maybe that's what he's waiting for. For all I know, this could be one huge experiment. They could be pushing me to my limits, seeing how long it takes for me to snap and then using the information against the rest of my kind.

It's unlikely that's what's happening – if that was the case, he would be doing a lot more than locking me in a room to drive me insane – but it's the only idea my brain can come up with. I don't have much else to keep me occupied other than to sit here and let my imagination run wild, and so far that is the most sensible idea I've had. It seems thinking rationally is an ability I've lost, and that thought pains me the most. I used to be able to analyse a situation and come up with a solution in less than a minute, but right now, the time when my abilities are most important, they're slipping away.

Everything about this situation makes me vulnerable, and I despise feeling weak. I've tried so very hard to squeeze even the smallest drop of information out of Bakura, but he's even more secretive than Ryou.

I haven't seen Ryou since the night I met Bakura, but I know he's still helping me. Despite the secrets and the lies he told me, I know he's a good guy. I trust him. I know I shouldn't. I know it's dangerous, and that if anyone in my half of town found out that I've befriended a power-holder they'd kill me, but I just have a feeling that he's a good guy, and it's a feeling I cannot shake, no matter how hard I try.

Bakura on the other hand I'm not too fond about. There's a distinct difference between them, even though they are brothers. Ryou always seemed guilty about withholding information, whereas Bakura seems to take some sort of sadistic pleasure every time he sees one of my confused expressions or hears the need to understand heavily lacing my words. Maybe that's why I haven't been used yet – maybe driving his captives mad with an insatiable desire _know _is some sort of sick fetish he has. I wouldn't put it past him.

A knock on the door startles me, and I glance up just as Bakura enters, holding a plate of toast in one hand and a glass of water in the other. I don't pay him much attention as he places them on the bedside table – I never do. Just like every other aspect of my life, this has fallen into a tedious routine that I'm forced to work against. He comes in, gives me my breakfast, and then he leaves. We never speak until he brings me my dinner in the evenings, and I'm perfectly fine with that.

Today though, it seems things are changing.

I can feel his eyes burning into my flesh, and I try not to squirm uncomfortably from the unwanted attention. I just want him to leave so I can eat in peace, but that isn't going to happen anytime soon.

He clears his throat and I have no choice but to direct my attention towards him. He smirks; he knows he has control over me. I hate it.

"Good morning, Malik, _my dear,_ did you sleep well?" his voice is laced in such a fake layer of sugary sweetness it makes me want to vomit.

"Yes," I practically hiss, shooting daggers from beneath the dirty blond strands of hair that cover my eyes. "You can leave now." I know I should probably keep quiet, but there's just something about the way he's looking at me, as if I'm some sort of animal and he's my owner that makes me _so_ _damn angry_, I can't control my tongue. I want him out of here; I want to return to my solitude. Anything is better than being sat here, defenceless, as he scrutinises me in such a patronizing way.

"Now, now, Malik," he reprimands, making a _tutting_ noise, "is that anyway to speak to your superior?"

I fight the urge to scoff. Him? Superior to _me?_ I have no doubt in my mind that, had the circumstances not been so unfair, I would have beaten him during the little confrontation we had a few weeks ago. Then he would know who the superior one is.

He sits down on the corner of my bed, the sadistic look on his features growing more prominent the longer he regards me. "We're ready for you."

I lift a brow in a questioning manner, what the hell was that supposed to mean?

He chuckles, the rich, velvety noise coating all corners of the small room. "You've probably been wondering what your purpose here is, haven't you?"

I don't reply. He knows the answer to that question; he just wants to torment me further.

"It's time for your purpose to be fulfilled. You're coming with me." He makes to grab my arm, but with a split second decision I move out of the way, stumbling over the bed to the other side of the room. His grin disappears and a look of anger replaces it. "Where do you think you're going?"

I clench my jaw, hoping some of the vent up frustration I've been holding in will show through on my face. I try to sound commanding, "Tell me why I'm here."

"You'll find out soon enough." He lunges forwards, trying to grab onto my arm again, but failing as I quickly dodge him.

I shake my head vigorously, "I'm not going anywhere with you until you tell me exactly why I'm here."

"I don't think you have much of a choice, you're trapped in here, you're coming with me whether you like it or not." This time when he lunges forwards I'm not quick enough to escape him. He grabs my arms painfully tight and slams me into a wall. His hands fist themselves in my shirt, and he pushes his knuckles into my chest, making it increasingly hard for me to breathe. I keep my mouth pressed into a firm line, my eyes hard. I'm not going to give him the satisfaction of knowing how much discomfort he's causing me.

"Listen here, you piece of _shit_," he spits, his face so close to mine I can feel every hate filled word. "I don't know who the _fuck_ you think you are, but let me tell you something. Don't you ever, _ever,_ fucking talk to me like you're superior to me, because you're not! You're nothing but scum, and I wish nothing more than to kill you right here, right now. The only thing stopping me is my brother, but I won't hesitate to snap your disgusting little neck if you push me too far, understand?"

With every word, I feel myself growing angrier. How dare he stand there and call _me_ the scum, when he's nothing but a filthy power-holder himself! My fists begin to clench and shake with rage. When I speak, it's with a very forced calmness. "You talk to me as if you know everything I've been through, as if you've seen what I've seen. How dare you call me the scum, when I've seen the things _your_ kind has done. You probably don't have any evidence to back up this irrational hatred you have for us, but I do. I wasn't brought up to hate power-holders in school," I pause to laugh bitterly. "Oh no, my hatred for _you_ came from my own experiences." I shake his hands free from my shirt and move away from the wall. He's too shocked to stop me, his mouth hanging open slightly and his eyes narrowed into slits so small, it's hard to tell if his eyes are even still open. I point a finger at him accusingly. "You have no proper reason to hate us, the only reason you have is that you listen to the senseless drivel they spout to you whilst you're young. That's why you're beyond help, that's why I hate you. You soulless fuckers deserve to die!"

The room is silent for a long time, a thick tension in the air. Bakura stands in the same place, his whole body rigid and unmoving. I did not think he'd let me get so far with my speech, I thought he would have grabbed me halfway through and burnt every last fragment of my skin off, but he didn't. I don't know if I should feel relieved or worried.

And then he's marching forwards, and I'm moving backwards. I may have just signed my own death certificate, but I don't care. The words had to be said; he needed to know why his very existence is pointless, useless, pathetic.

He raises his fist, and my worst fears are confirmed as I slowly see the burning black makes its way up his arm. I close my eyes, but instead of the excruciating burning I'm expecting, I'm hit with an entirely different pain.

His clenched fist collides impressively with my jaw, whacking my head backwards painfully to smash against the wall behind me. I gasp as I slide down to the floor, a warning signal in the back of my head tells me I should open my eyes, and as I do so, I see that my vision is blurry from the impact.

I glance upwards to see Bakura towering over me, his fists still clenched and his right knuckles dripping a small amount of blood onto the carpet. He crouches down so that he's level with me, and his hand reaches out to grab my chin, his thumb digging especially hard into the already bruising flesh.

His teeth are clenched, his nostrils flared, his eyes filled with the unmistakable haze of pure rage. He looks like he's fighting every instinct in his body to not beat me into a bloody pulp.

"You know _nothing_ about my life," his voice is furious, and it scares me to my core.

Nothing more is done, no more angry words, or violent actions. He simply stands, and leaves the room, slamming the door behind him with enough force to make the walls shake. I give a relieved sigh, and rest my head against the cool plaster of the wall behind me. It gives me temporary relief from the growing headache pounding against my skull, but I know I cannot sit here forever.

I force myself off of the floor and struggle towards my bed, my head dizzy and my feet stumbling. I climb atop the covers and lay my head on the soft pillow. My eyes glance towards the forgotten toast on the bedside table, and my stomach churns. I should probably save that for later, who knows when I'll get another meal?

It's with that thought that I realise something I probably should have thought about before I yelled at Bakura like that.

I may have just made the biggest mistake of my life.


End file.
